What is it?
Chinese computer giant Lenovo wants in on the tablet game. The Lenovo IdeaPad Tablet K1 is the first in a series of tablets to be launched.
Aren't other tablet makers struggling already?
Generally speaking, yes. Only Samsung, with its Galaxy Tab, has come close to the near-legendary status Apple's iPad has already claimed on the market — even that by a wide margin. Other players, including Motorola's Xoom, Research in Motion's BlackBerry PlayBook, HTC's Flyer and Asus' Eee Pad are still floating along the periphery while HP is surrendering its tablet and mobile phones division.
So will Lenovo make it?
Well, it's hard to say offhand. But the IdeaPad has some features to its credit that might appeal to consumers. Yes, there's no denying the Android tablet market is becoming saturated, but as technology trends go, the idea is to introduce little niceties to set your product apart.
To start with, the IdeaPad K1 comes in a funky design. And its specs, while not hugely different from its competitors, are one of the better ones: A 10.39x7.44 size, 1280x1800 screen resolution, a two-megapixel camera on the front and five-megapixel camera at the rear, a two-cell battery that promises up to ten hours of battery life — all in a 0.74kg body weight. So far so good.
While the IdeaPad K1 comes with Android 3.1, Lenovo has put its own cosmetic touches on the operating system, a nice change considering the number of Android-powered tablets out there. This includes an app launcher on the homescreen which is a shortcut to your favourite apps. Pre-loaded apps include Adobe, Electronic Arts and Dataviz which Lenovo says is worth more than $50 (Dh183). And oh, what's a tablet without an Angry Birds game app?
So when is it available and for how much?
The 16GB model IdeaPad Tablet K1, priced at Dh1,999 can be ordered in the UAE from today through select retailers or via www.lenovo.com. The product will be available in stores in the UAE this month.
